


Call My Name

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Camping, M/M, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 18:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19215385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: Mahiru is a doctor and saves Kuro’s life. (KuroMahi, Modern Fantasy AU)





	Call My Name

Mahiru drove through the secluded countryside to his family’s cabin. The dirt road made his car rock and he hoped he would reach the cabin soon. He wanted to enjoy a relaxing, uneventful vacation. But, in the corner of his eyes, he saw someone stumble out of the woods. He slammed his foot on the break before he could hit the man. The car stopped a mere foot away from him and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Their eyes met through the window and Mahiru saw how pale the man was. He swayed slightly before he collapsed in front of his car. Mahiru immediately jumped out of his car to help him. The first thing he noticed when he knelt next to him was the blood staining his shirt. He spoke in a calm voice, “You’re hurt. Don’t worry, I’m a doctor.”

Mahiru knelt next to him and lifted his shirt to see the wound. He swore when he saw that it was a gunshot. There was an exit wound so the bullet passed through his body and he was losing blood quickly. After he tore off a strip of his shirt, he pressed it against the waist. He gently took the man’s hand and placed it over the cloth. “Hold this to slow the bleeding while I get my first aid kit in the car. I’ll drive you to the hospital and we’ll patch you up there.”

“No hospital… Please… I can’t go there.” The man’s voice was barely audible as he shook his head. Mahiru almost thought he misheard him. He needed immediate medical attention yet the man tried to push him away. “Too dangerous… Drive away… I’ll be fine so… Leave.”

“I can’t leave you like this. When I became a doctor, I swore an oath.” Mahiru told him firmly. He tried to lift him and put him into his car to take him to the hospital. The man slapped his hand away and Mahiru cursed beneath his breath. If they continued to struggle, his injury could become worse. “Fine, you win. I won’t take you to the hospital.”

The man stilled long enough that Mahiru was able to slip his arms around him. He slowly and carefully helped him into his car to not open his wound further. Mahiru opened the car door and placed him in the passenger seat. He reclined the chair so that the man was laying down and then he checked on his wound again. The man groaned, “You said no hospital.”

“I won’t take you there if you’re going to fight me and make your injury worse. But you still need help. I’ll take you to my cabin and treat you there. Then, you can do whatever you want.” Mahiru closed the door and rushed to the other side. He started his car and drove to his cabin. He kept one hand on the wheel but he reached over to apply more pressure on the man’s waist.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know if you’ll be able to get blood out of this car seat.” He said weakly. “I’ll pay you back for the dry cleaning. It’s the least I can do.”

“Going to the hospital where they have better equipment than my tiny cabin would also be great.” Mahiru suggested but the stranger fell silent. His reluctance to go to the hospital worried him. He couldn’t leave him to die on the road though. “Take long slow breathes for me. Can you also tell me your name and if there’s anyone I should call?”

“Kuro.” He wasn’t able to tell him much more before he passed out.

* * *

The next time Kuro opened his eyes, he was in a warm bed. His body felt sore and he struggled to sit up. He needed to see where he was. He couldn’t remember much after the doctor helped him. From the smell of stew and wood, he knew that he wasn’t in the hospital. He stared up at the wooden ceiling and thought of what he should do. He was too hurt to leave but staying was dangerous.

The door opened and he turned his head to see the doctor enter. The brunette had a tray in his hands and he set it beside Kuro. He sat down in a chair next to the bed. “Do you think you can eat? It’ll help you regain your strength. The bullet passed through your body but it didn’t hit any of your vitals. You’re lucky. Still, you should be careful or your wound will open again.”

“Can’t deal.” Kuro tried to sit up but then he collapsed on the pillow again. His side throbbed and he touched the bandages around his waist. A hand fell over his and the ache dulled slightly. He helped him sit up and then adjusted the pillows behind him. “Thank you, Doc, but I have to go.”

“You shouldn’t move so soon. Please, just rest here for now. Do you have someone who can come and help you? Maybe a friend or a sibling?” He asked. His expression told Mahiru that he didn’t. With a sympathetic smile, he patted his hand. “You can call me by my name, Mahiru. Doc is on vacation. I didn’t expect to run into anyone in the countryside.”

“I’m sorry I interrupted your vacation. I got into a stupid hunting accident and then I almost ran in front of your car.” Kuro’s expression didn’t change much but Mahiru felt like he was hiding something. “I don’t have anybody. I’m homeless and I’ve been camping in the woods. It’s the cheapest place to rent even though it doesn’t come with utilities.”

“Is that why you didn’t want to go to the hospital? The money?” Mahiru’s voice reflected his compassion. He took the tray of food and placed it on Kuro’s lap. “You can stay here until you recover fully. The room and meals are free. My vacation will over in two weeks though. Will you return to the city with me once you’re better? I volunteer at a few shelters and they’ll be happy to take you in.”

“Do you always insert yourself into people’s lives out of pity? Troublesome. That’s going to get you in trouble one day.” Kuro groaned. He could see that Mahiru was a kind person and he knew how rare that was. He didn’t want to see him hurt. “It’s better for you to kick me out right now. I should be able to take care of myself.”

“But your wound hasn’t completely closed yet. It might re-open or become infected. Kuro, I already told you that I’m a doctor and how I made an oath to help the injured and the sick. Even if I wasn’t a doctor, I can’t abandon someone who’s hurt.” Mahiru insisted “I can’t force you to stay but please rest here one more night. Tomorrow, if you feel the same and your wound is better, you can leave.”

“You don’t know when to give up.” Kuro thought of what he should say to push him away. He took of a deep breath and said, “You’re going to think I’m crazy when I tell you this but it’s the truth. I’m a werewolf. I just escaped a dangerous organization who hunts creatures like me. They’re ruthless and they might hurt you if they find out you’re sheltering me here.”

Shock was apparent on Mahiru’s face. After a moment, a string of light laughter flowed out of his lips. It sounded like a bell. He scooped soup into the spoon and held it to his lips. “Your story changed from ‘hunting accident’ to ‘werewolves’. I don’t know what I did for you to want to chase me away so badly. In times like these, you should let others help you instead of being stubborn.”

“Hasn’t anyone ever taught you that you shouldn’t trust strangers? I might be dangerous.” Mahiru lightly pressed the spoon against his lips and he took a cautious sip. It was delicious. He smiled when he saw him eat more. “This is good. I haven’t had real food in months.”

“Thank you.” Hearing someone compliment his cooking made him smile warmly. Mahiru sat back in his chair and said, “I’m not naïve, Kuro. I know that there are many bad people in this world. You’re not one of them though. You could’ve attacked me at any time now but you haven’t. My guess is that you want me to leave so you can start squatting in this cabin since you’re homeless.”

“You think that but you’re still housing me?” Kuro finished the stew and handed the empty bowl to him.

“May I repeat: ‘I’m not naïve’. While I was waiting for you to wake up, I called my uncle and told him all about you. He’s a policeman. If anything happens to me, he’ll know where to look first. Now that I’ve talked with you a little more, I’m not worried that you’ll attack me.” There was a small grin on his face.

Mahiru took the bowl from him and replaced it on the tray. He checked Kuro over once more before he stood to leave. “You shouldn’t lie down right after you eat but you’re staying in bed. Doctor’s order. You should be able to walk tomorrow but no extraneous activities. Would you like something to read to pass the time? I brought a lot of books with me.”

“I’m not a big reader. Does this cabin have a game console? I’ll only be moving my thumbs so you don’t have to worry about me straining myself.” Kuro looked around the simple room. There were appliances so he knew the cabin had electricity.

“There’s a television in the living room but not much else. I came here to get away from the city. For the next two week, I’ll be living a simple life. I’ll be right back with a book for you.” Mahiru balanced the tray against his hip as he tried to open the door again. He was surprised when Kuro moved off the bed. He opened the door for him.

Before Mahiru could lecture him, Kuro said: “It’s fine. Werewolves are stronger than humans.”

“Are you still trying to scare me away, Kuro? It’s not going to work. In my career, I’ve treated a lot of people. So, get back in that bed and rest. Do you want to read a mystery, fantasy-adventure or a romance novel?” Mahiru asked him and gestured to the bed. His eyes were unwavering so Kuro knew that he wouldn’t back down.

Kuro found himself chuckling and walked back to the bed. “Surprise me, Mahiru.”

* * *

Mahiru threaded a fishing line through a few sinkers and then tied a hook at the end. He turned the reel until he was able to set the hook against a hoop. The cabin was next to a lake where they could fish. He heard footsteps behind him and he looked over his shoulder. Kuro stood behind him with chopped wood beneath his arm. “I made enough firewood to last us through the fall. I brought a few for the grill.”

“Thank you, Kuro. I finished preparing the fishing rods so we can start fishing. I want to check on your bandages first though.” He patted the spot next to him. Kuro sat down and lifted his shirt for him. He borrowed Mahiru’s clothes but they were a little tight because Kuro was taller than him. Mahiru carefully unwrapped the bandages and looked over the wound.

He lightly touched the skin around the wound. Mahiru was worried about the other scars he found when he first treated him. They seemed old but he never asked Kuro about them. “This gunshot wound is healing faster than I thought it would. We don’t have worry about an infection at this stage. We can sit and relax. Have you been fishing before?”

“A few times. I had to learn how to survive off the land after I lost my home.” He answered but he was still hesitant to tell him about his past. He watched Mahiru cast his fishing into the water. A week had passed and they had grown to be friends in that time. “Did your father teach you how to fish?”

“My uncle, actually. He was the closest thing I have to a father growing up. After my mother died, he adopted me.” Mahiru’s voice became small.

“I’m sorry,” He muttered. Mahiru touched his shoulder and smiled reassuringly at him.

“You don’t need to feel sorry, Kuro. I love my mother and my uncle. His work kept him busy but he did his best to raise me. Every summer, we would go camping for a week. He taught me how to catch a fish, gut it and cook it on the grill. I was so scared to touch the worm the first time I had to bait the hook.” He laughed as he remembered the memory fondly.

“You two sound close.” Mahiru nodded at his words. Kuro took a fishing rod and started to fish with him. As they waited for a bite, they talked. He enjoyed Mahiru’s smile and joked with him. “If I catch a fish first, can you cook it for me? You’re a better cook than I am. Don’t worry, I’ll watch your fishing rod for you and tell you if you have a fish.”

“Do you know how to gut and scale a fish?” Mahiru asked. When he looked at him with his honest, brown eyes, Kuro couldn’t lie. He nodded. He thought Mahiru would lecture him and tell him to cook for himself. Instead, he said: “Okay. I love to cook. But you have to prepare the fish for me. Is it a deal?”

“Deal.” Kuro shook the hand Mahiru held out to him. He would miss his cooking after they parted ways. He wished he could spend more time with him but he couldn’t put him in danger.  

“This brings back so many memories. I usually come up here alone. I’m glad we met and got to know each other. The only thing I would change is your hunting accident.” Mahiru hated the thought of what would’ve happened if he hadn’t found Kuro in time. “Tomorrow, we should stay up late and eat marshmallows. I know a lot of spooky stories.”

“Maybe we can save that for another night. There will be a full moon soon and we can see the stars better then.” He suggested. Mahiru thought it was a wonderful idea but he noticed sadness cross Kuro’s face. Occasionally, he would hear Kuro have nightmares and he wondered if it was related. He changed the subject before he could say anything more. “Did your uncle teach you anything else?”

“My uncle would tell me an urban legend during our campfire stories. It is common knowledge that werewolves are dangerous creatures. The full moon strips away the person’s humanity and turns them into a wolf. There’s only one thing that could save them: compassion. Someone the werewolf cares for must see the man’s humanity and call their name. I always thought that was sweet.”

“It’s a foolish risk to face a werewolf, even if you knew them when they were human. They don’t have control over themselves during the full moon. They can’t recognize you and will attack you. It’s better if you run and hide.” Kuro warned him. He set his fishing rod against a few rocks so it would stay upright. He stood and slipped off his shoes. After he rolled up his pants, he stepped into the river.

“What are you doing, Kuro? You’re going to catch a cold. At least be careful not to get your bandages wet.” Mahiru frowned. The water was only deep enough to reach his knees but Mahiru was still worried about his health. “Come back and enjoy some fishing with me. Hopefully, the fish weren’t scared off when you jumped into the water.”

“It’ll take a long time to catch a fish with the traditional bait and hook. In rivers, fishes like to find little hiding places and they rarely come out. I’ll check if there are fishes over there so I won’t scare away the fishes here.” Kuro slowly moved through the water. “You should stay here and keep an eye on our lines in case we get a bite.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I know this river well.” He pushed himself to his feet and walked along the river next to him. He glanced at their reflection in the clear water. While Kuro rarely spoke about himself but his eyes were wary. He likely been through a lot. Mahiru thought that he was a good person though. He never hurt him and helped him around the cabin.

They found a section of the river that was made of a circle of rocks. Fishes were swimming in the circle and Mahiru considered going back to their fishing spot to get a rod. Kuro knelt at the opening of the rock circle so the fishes were trapped. Faster than Mahiru could see, Kuro caught one of the fishes in his hands. “Wow, Kuro, that was awesome. I’ll go get the bucket.”

“Okay, but I don’t know how long I can hold onto this thing.” Kuro held the fish underwater to keep it alive while Mahiru ran back to their fishing supplies. He returned with the bucket and filled it with water. He set it down on the river bank for him. As he lowered the fish into the bucket, it jumped out of his hands and made a large splash.

“There goes our dinner.” Mahiru laughed. He saw how wet Kuro was and he took a napkin out of his pocket. He patted it against his hair and felt how soft it was. Unconsciously, Mahiru leaned closer to him and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. He took a step forward but then his feet slipped on the river bank.

He fell forward into his chest but Kuro managed to keep them from falling into the river. He felt Mahiru’s warm lips brush against his ear as he caught him. Mahiru leaned back and smiled at Kuro. “Nice catch but you should focus on the fish or else we won’t have dinner tonight.”

* * *

Mahiru yawned as he walked into the kitchen for a glass of water. It was late but he felt a little restless. He couldn’t sleep when thoughts of Kuro took up his mind. He remembered what it felt like to have his arms around him. A small blush appeared on his face and he suddenly felt warmer so he opened the window. He looked up at the full moon hidden behind the clouds.

A scream made him jump and he turned in the direction of Kuro’s room. Worried that he was hurt, he ran to help him. Mahiru entered the room and leaned over Kuro. He was sweating but it didn’t appear that he was hurt. He was likely experiencing a nightmare so he lightly shook him awake. “Come back to me, Kuro. Open your eyes. It’s just a nightmare and you’re safe here.”

“No… I don’t want to hurt anyone… Father … Sleepy Ash…” He rambled in his sleep but Mahiru couldn’t make any sense of his words.

“Kuro!” At the sound of Mahiru calling his name, he came awake. He sat up sharply and Kuro almost made him fall off the bed. At the same time, they caught each other’s hands so he wouldn’t fall. Mahiru gave him a moment to catch his breath before he touched his cheek. “Are you okay, Kuro? You were having a nightmare. Do you want something warm to drink?”

“I’m fine.” He insisted. The worry in Mahiru’s brown eyes squeezed his heart and he thought of what he could do to reassure him. Kuro patted his hand and mustered a weak smile for him. “Nightmares can’t hurt me so you don’t need to go into doctor mode. I’m sorry if I woke you. Just go back to your room and go to sleep. I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Are you sure? That sounded like a crazy nightmare. If you want to talk to me about it, you can. We can take a nice walk outside and let the fresh air help you. There’s a beautiful, full moon out tonight. It’s here sooner than we thought it would be.” Mahiru suggested. He saw fear enter his red eyes before Kuro jumped off the bed. “Where are you going, Kuro?”

He looked out the window to where the moon shined through the clouds. Kuro cursed and ran out of the cabin. He intended to flee into the woods before the moon could peek through the clouds. He wasn’t able to run far before Mahiru hugged his waist. “Let me go, Mahiru. I have to go. I can’t explain it to you but this is for your safety.”

“Wait, Kuro, please. At least, tell me why you’re going.” Mahiru tightened his arms around. He didn’t understand Kuro’s behaviour but he knew that he would run away the moment he let go. He moved around him until they were facing each other and he cupped his face. The moonlight was dim so he couldn’t read his expression as he tilted Kuro’s gaze down to him.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Mahiru.” He whispered and touched his brown hair. “Let me go.”

“You should do what he says.” Kuro stiffened when he realized that it wasn’t Mahiru who spoke. He looked over his shoulder and saw a man with a gun. Without taking his eyes off the man, he pushed Mahiru behind him. He heard Mahiru gasp so he must’ve saw the gun as well. “It took us a long time to find you but we knew the full moon would draw you out.”

“I’ll go back with you but only if you leave Mahiru alone. He doesn’t know anything.” Kuro said despite how his instincts told him to distrust the man. He wanted to stay and protect Mahiru. His eyes darted between the night clouds and the man’s gun. He knew he would put him in danger no matter what he chose. Behind him, Mahiru gripped his sleeve. He could only imagine how confused he was.

“Kuro, who is that man? Why is he after you? You said that you were in a hunting accident. Not being hunted!” He didn’t know what to ask him first. Kuro continued to glare at the man rather than answering him. Mahiru faced the man and said: “If you don’t leave, I will call the police. I should call them because you shot Kuro!”

“Mahiru, just go back into the cabin. I’ll deal with him on my own.” Kuro pleaded but Mahiru refused to move from his spot next to him. He started to say something more but then he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He crumbled to his knees and Mahiru knelt next to him. His voice became hoarse and he could barely speak. “Why now of all times? Troublesome.”

“What’s wrong, Kuro? Is it your wound?” He tried to help him but he pushed his hands away. The only thing Mahiru could do was hug his shoulders and try to protect him from the man. He was confused when he thought he felt Kuro change beneath his hands. He only turned away from him when he felt something cold against his temple.

He froze and his heart sank when he realized what it was. Mahiru closed his eyes and hugged Kuro closer against his chest. A growl made him open eyes and he found a silver wolf in his arms. The wolf leapt out of his arms and attacked the man. It bit the man’s arm and forced him to drop the gun. Mahiru was still confused but he jumped into action. He picked up the gun so the man couldn’t use it.

His mind was racing as he tried to make sense of the situation. He had to question if he was dreaming or if he went mad. It was impossible that Kuro had turned into a wolf in his arms. Mahiru could only watch the wolf fight the man and chase him away. The man ran away and he let out a sigh of relief. He placed his hand over his heart.

Mahiru approached the silver wolf and softly called his name. “Kuro, is that you?”

He was taken aback when Kuro growled at him. His red eyes glinted in the moonlight and he slowly moved towards him. Mahiru instinctively took a step back. He accidentally tripped over a tree root and he fell down. He pushed himself up and found himself facing a wolf. Kuro snarled at the gun and Mahiru threw it into the bushes.

“Kuro, it’s me, Mahiru. Don’t you recognize me?” Mahiru remembered Kuro’s earlier words about werewolves and how they lost their humanity when they transform. His hands trembled as he reached out his hand to him. “You’re a werewolf but I know you’re in there somewhere, Kuro. If you don’t recognize me, what about the others important to you? Your father? That person you mentioned earlier? Sleepy Ash?”

Suddenly, he stopped. Kuro lowered his head onto Mahiru’s chest and he felt his heart racing through his shirt. He was certain that his heartbeat was the same. The tension in his body relaxed and he felt himself return to his human form. He only looked up from his chest when he felt Mahiru’s hand on his hair. He groaned, “You’re lucky the clouds are covering the moon again. You should run away now that you know the truth.”

“But the clouds are gone.” He told him. Kuro was confused and glanced up at the full moon in the sky. He was confused because he didn’t know what reversed his transformation. Mahiru’s fingers continued to move through his hair until he touched wolf ears on his head. “You’re a werewolf.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner. You would’ve thought I was crazy if I did.” Kuro said. He couldn’t control himself as a wolf but he still had vague memories from when he was a wolf. He didn’t know how Mahiru managed to save him. “You must be a witch if you can change me back. What did you say to do that?”

“I knew you were in there. I brought up people who would spark a memory in you. Earlier, you said the name Sleepy Ash so I thought it could be someone important to you. Who is he?” Mahiru didn’t know why he felt a little jealous. He should’ve been grateful that the name brought Kuro back to him.

“Sleepy Ash is my wolf’s name. I’ve always been ashamed of it so I would use a nickname my family gave me.” He explained. A realization slowly dawned on him. “Your uncle’s legend must be real. You called my name and saved me.”

“Sleepy Ash,” He whispered his name again. Mahiru reached up and brushed his fingers over his wolf ears. While Kuro grunted, his tail was wagging slightly. He leaned into his touch before he remembered he shouldn’t. He moved off him and sat next to him. Mahiru asked, “Should I call you Sleepy Ash from now on? It is your name.”

“You can continue to call me Kuro.” He had to admit that he grew to enjoy how Mahiru called his name. Kuro looked down at his hands and his dark claws. He regained control of his body but he still had some wold features. “That hunter might return soon. I can smell him. I’ll lead him away from here and make sure he doesn’t target you or this cabin anymore.”

“Wait, Kuro, don’t go.” Mahiru gripped his jacket to stop him from leaving. Kuro expected him to be frightened of him after witnessing his wolf form. Yet, he only had sympathy in his brown eyes. “Stay with me. We can tell that man that you’re not dangerous. I can return you to your human form by calling your name.”

“Are you sure you want me by your side?” Mahiru nodded. Kuro tenderly cupped his cheek and said: “I promise, I’ll protect you.”


End file.
